Skinning apparatus



May 18, 1937. M. FRUDUA SKINNING APPARATUS Filed Jul-y 20, 1935 2 Sheets-Shea?l 1 l A :inventor: 772. F1 Padua dc/o'fo W" (Ittornegs May 18, 1937. M, FRUDUA SKINNING APPARATUS Filed July 20, 1955 2 SheelLS-SheeI 2 Zmventor Patented May 18, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE aoso SK'INNING APPARATS Mario Frudua, Milan; Italy irpplictitngtiuy' zo, 1935,v serialV No. 32,445

In Italy August 2, 1934v rendering the'y grip on the apparatus more' prac'- tical andthe removal and rinsertion of the cutting knives in the form of wheels more rapid; besides, the' cutting wheels areso shaped as to form teeth which render the cutting more effective'.

The invention, which therefore possesses bothY utility and novelty, is representedF by theaccompa'nying drawings in one of its embodiments.

apparatus seen from the handle side, the rotor carrying th cutting" wheels being partly uncovered. v n

Fig. 2 is aside View of Fig'. 1y partlyin Section.

Fig". 3'is a sectinalvi'ew, drawn tod a larger scale, taken along the line 3-3"of 1i`gl l, and showing a cutting blade, and blade securing means.

Fi'g. 4"is an end View, on an enlarged.y scale', of a few of the" cutters andV theguard teeth.

Fig. 5 is a view, on an enlarged scale, showing the arrangement of4 a cutter and a few guard teeth. n i,

Fig. 6 is a side view of a modified form of the apparatus partly in section.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of Fig; 6; and

Fig. 8' shows a fragmentary detail of theV apparatus illustratedY in Figs. 6, 7.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5, the metallic casing of the apparatus comprises two elements viz. the circular bottom plate I and the likewise circular box or top plate 2 provided with pointed edges 3 and 4 respectively and the two edges being accurately superposed and joined by suitable means as contacting lips 5 formed at the edges of plates I and 2 and recess 5a (Fig. 3). The two elements are fastened together by a special bolt 6, the head 'l and nut 8 of which are convex and flattened to avoid obstruction in use. The box 2 is fitted with a lug 9 arranged tangentially to the box in a The invention als'o relates to improvements for Figure vl in the'dr'awings isV a plan` View'ofthe (c1.` irl-22) plainenorma'l to the axis of the box (Figs. l and 2). In the lug 9, the surface and thickness of which are suitably dimensioned, `an opening I'IJ ispr'ovided; having a suitable internal lining I and of such a sizfe and shape as to permit the operator to introduce his thumb thereinmwhile he stretches his other four fingers along the box periphery in order to rmly gripand guide the apiaatusl- The cuttingA portion ofthe apparatus comprises a revolving disk I2 fastened'on the helical gear` wheel I3 which is adapted to loosely revolve about the shank of bolt 6. ,The helical wheel I3 is drivenY by the worm I4 secured to'the shaft I5 which is supported in Abearings `I6*l and I 'l cast in one'with the circular box 2 ofv the` casing. The shaft I5is'drivenl by the flexible transmission I8'.r Inhthe body of the revolvingdisk I2 a series of peripheral recessesV IZ'ct` are formed, eachmeasuring aboutv a three-quarters arc of a circle and being open atA the disk edge; in these recesses ftAsnugly'the circular cutters I9, bevelling down toa thinperipheral cutting edge. lEach cutter is held in its respective recess by a rscrewY pin v20, the nat; head of which is countersunk in a washer'ZI. This washer is an accurate flt in the reeeSsMIZagand has the same contour, so that the outeredge Vof the washer isjflush with they edge of the disk I2l and abuts with its inner edge against the inner surface of the recessv I2a of the disk, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and' 5. All cuttersl are therefore projecting beyond the periphery of the revolving disk and' also beyond the Washer 2 I, their amount of projection being equal in all cutters and such that the cutters project substantially level with theedges 3- and 4 formed onthe casing'facing'each other (Figs. 3 andl). The cutting function of the cutters I9 isv assisted by the set of teeth 22, which are-"all'alike and spaced equally apart on the sidealong an arc of opposite thehandle, so that all the projecting portions of the Vcutters I9` are left uncovered, as may be seen'fromv Figures 4" and 5. The object of said teeth is to guide the cutters between the flesh and the skin of the animal, protecting the cutters and preventing them from damaging the flesh or the skin. The described cutters obviously offer the advantage that they may be turned several times, which permits of utilizing their cutting edge over the whole cutter periphery before the cutters are taken out in order to be sharpened.

Alternatively, referring to the improvements illustrated in Figures 6 to 8, the handle lining II is done away with and in its stead a knurled adapter 23 is iitted to the box 2, which in this case is arranged eccentrically relatively to the revolving disc. The adapter 23 has at its left end an extension finger 24, the underside of which is hollowed out for the operators thumb when he seizes the apparatus. Further, in the forward peripheral portion of the box as at 25, undulations are formed for the other fingers of the operator in order that he may have a iirm hold on the box during operation.

The recesses 26 serve as seats for the cutters and may be covered also at their rearrby washers 2| where a pin 21 is fixed. The cutters I9' have peripheral indentations at two points 28 and 29 diametrically opposite to each other and so that the said pin 21 accurately ts in one of the indentations 29 while the other indentation 28 forms teeth at the exposed outer side of the cutter I 9 serving to cut away the hide. The indentation 29 engages the pin 21 and serves to secure the cutter I9 in place which is then further secured by means of the washer 2|'. The washer is held in the revolving disk by the screw 20. In the washer 2 I is also provided an indentation 30, the object oi which is also to engage the pin 21, which thus serves to prevent the washer from rotating.

With the modied form of the cutters and with the fixing method hereabove described, cutting points of great eincien'cy are attained and rapid mounting or dismounting of the cutters is accomplished.

The circular plate I has lugs 3I, by means of which the said plate is secured to the box 2 of the apparatus.

The connection between the ilexible transmission I3` and the spindle 6' of the cutter-carrying disk I2 is obtained by means of two bevel gears 32 and 33, one of which is xed on the shaft I5 of the flexible transmission and the other on the spindle 6 of the revolving disk. The spindle 6 revolves in ball bearings; in this manner the object is achieved of increasing the rotation speed of the revolving disk and lessening at the same time its friction resistance.

The edge 3 of box 2, instead of being provided with teeth, may be plain as represented at the front edge in Fig. '7. In this case the edge 3 may be set back relatively-to the teeth of the Vdisk I, so as to leave the cutting points of the l cutters uncovered.

` I claim:

1. An apparatus for separating the skin from the flesh of slaughtered animals which is operable by hand and driven by means of a flexible shaft, comprising a two-part casing composed of a substantially circular box and a circular disk, theedges of which are superposed, and interconnected by a central bolt, one of said parts having a` projecting flat lug arranged in a plane perpendicular to the axis of said bolt and pierced with an opening into which the thumb of a hand can be introduced while the other four fingers are extended along the outer face ofone of the said parts in order to grasp and guide the apparatus.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, in whichk 3. An apparatus according to claim 1 in which the cutting device comprises a set of substan -tially circular cutters suitably mounted in the box by means of washers `and screws in contiguity with the periphery of said revolving disk,

a helical wheel integral with said disk and adapted to turn freely on the shank of said central bolt, a worm meshing with said helical wheel and a iiexible shaft for driving said worm; about of the edge of said box opposite said flat lug being provided with a series of indentations and through which all of said cutters project a similar amount beyond the edge of the revolving disk and of said washers, so that the outer edge of each cutter remains uncovered.

4. An apparatus for separating the skin from the flesh of slaughtered animals which is operable by hand and driven by means of a exible shaft, comprising a two-part casing composed of a substantially circular'box and a circular' disk, the edges ,of which are superposed, and interconnected by a central bolt, a cutting device consisting of a set of substantially circular cutters Y suitably mounted in said box in contiguity with the periphery of said disk, meansfor revolving Vsaid disk with the cutters and other means ntting the hand of the operator for guiding the apparatus. c p

5. An apparatus according to claim 4 in which said cutters are formed with indentations at diametrically opposite points forming two pairs of teeth, one pair of which is adapted to engage with the fixed portion of said disk to prevent rotation` of the cutter, While the other pair of teeth serve as cutting points exposed beyond the edge of said box. 1

6. An lapparatus according to claim 4 in which said `other means consist of an adapter with a knurled edge and a thumb-grip thereon, said box having an undulated surface on the cutting side of the apparatus.

"7. An apparatus according to claim 4 in which said cutters are formed with indentations at di-V 

